Closure means for containers



Oct. 5, 1948. v. E. RAMSEY 2,450,811

r CLOSURE MEANS FOR CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 21, 1944 muiiu mumm "m il I Veriz-aiz Efia mm:

Patented Oct. 5, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" CLOSURE MEANS FOR CONTAINERS Vernon E. Ramsey, Suffolk, Va. Application November 21, 1944, Serial No. 564,459

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to closure means for containers and it is primarily an object of the invention to provide means of this kind wherein the closure member when applied is automatically locked in such position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a means of this kind wherein the major structure of the closure member may be of paper stock.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a, closure means for a container wherein the closure member is provided with a surrounding marginal flange to extend within the open face or top of the container and wherein said flange is provided with retractile means normally extending outwardly beyond the flange to provide means to engage beneath an inwardly disposed part adjacent to the open or top face of the container.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved closure means for containers whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the upper portion of a container with a closure member or lid applied in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view in bottom plan of the closure member or lid unapplied; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged view partly in section and partly in elevation with the lid applied and taken radially through the upper portion of Figure 1.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, C denotes a container of a type now generally used in the handling of fruits and vegetables and wherein the top portion of the container or basket has suitably secured therein, immediately adjacent to its open or top face, a surrounding hoop l, which provides an inwardly facing shoulder a.

The closure member or lid M comprises a sheet body 2 of required dimensions and which has its marginal portion defined by a depending rim or flange 3 of a length to extend below the shoulder a when the member or lid M is in applied position.

The body 2 and rim or flange 3 of the closure member may be made of paper stock of requisite gauge although other materials may be used which will allow the rim or flange 3 to have sufficient flexibility.

Surrounding the outer or free marginal portion of the rim or flange 3 and in close contact therewith is a band or hoop 4 of metal or other material possessing the desired strength and inherent resiliency. This band or hoop 4 is transversely fluted or corrugated to permit the same to be contracted or retracted suificiently as desired to allow the rim or flange 3 to closely pass down through the hoop I until the band or hoop 4 has passed inwardly of or below the shoulder a wherein the band or hoop 4 will expand to its normal size and overlap the shoulder a. By this action the applied closure member is effectually held in applied position and in a manner requiring the use of a suitable prying tool to release the same.

The band or hoop 4 may be secured to the rim or flange 3 in any manner preferred but in practice it has been found that such securement can be satisfactorily obtained by the use of several rivets 5 or the like spaced at material distances apart.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a closure means for containers constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

What is claimed is:

A receptacle and cover means therefor comprising a material receiving body having a circular filling opening, a rim secured within the filling opening having a straight inner face and an inwardly directed annular shoulder, a flat circular body adapted to position within said rim and having a continuing relatively wide encircling straight flange of a width materially greater than said rim and extending perpendicularly to the body, the overall diameter of the body being substantially equal to the inside diameter of the rim whereby the flange is snugly inserted in the rim and lies against the said straight inner face thereof, and a continuous transversely fluted flexible band encircling and secured'to the out side of the flange adjacent to the free edge there-.- of, said band being of a width materially less than the width of the flange and adapted to engage against said shoulder when the flange is extended to a predetermined extent into the rim, the said band being contractible to facilitate its extension through the rim and upon expansion beneath the rim acting to press the flange against the face of the rim.

' VERNON E. RAMSEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 579,560 Caillet Mar. 30, 1897 781,182 Brewington Jan. 31, 1905 1,168,020 McVoy Jan. 11, 1916 1,177,919 Brewington Apr. 4, 1916 1,986,145 Goodyear Jan. 1, 1935 

